นวัตกรรมสุดล้ำจากอิสราเอล

by Avi Jorisch

เทคโนโลยีและสิ่งประดิษฐ์ที่เกิดขึ้นจากดินแดนแห่งนี้ไม่เพียงช่วยฟื้นฟูโลก แต่ยังช่วยชีวิตผู้คนนับพันล้านทั่วโลกด้วย เช่น ระบบชลประทานน้ำหยดที่ทำให้พืชเติบโตได้ในทะเลทราย เมล็ดพันธุ์พืชที่ยังใช้เพาะปลูกได้แม้เวลาผ่านไปนับสิบปี การใช้พลังงานแสงอาทิตย์ ผ้าพันแผลที่ห้ามเลือดได้ มอเตอร์ไซค์กู้ชีพฉุกเฉิน กล้องแคปซูลขนาดจิ๋วส่องตรวจลำไส้ แม้แต่การใช้กัญชาในทางการแพทย์ก็ได้ริเริ่มใช้มาเกือบสามสิบปีแล้ว ณ ดินแดนแห่งนี้ หนังสือเล่มนี้บอกเล่าเรื่องราวของนวัตกรรมสำคัญๆ ของโลก และเบื้องหลังความสำเร็จเหล่านั้น ให้แรงบันดาลใจและชวนให้เราเปิดใจกว้างแล้วใช้พลังล้นเหลือที่เรามีช่วยโลก

Genres: Israel, Nonfiction, Business, Politics, History, Technology

235 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2018

Reviews

[loonchies · Rating 3 out of 5]

หนังสือบอกเล่าเรื่องราวการใช้เทคโนโลยีสร้างนวัตกรรมประดิษฐ์หลายสิ่งที่ทำให้มนุษย์สะดวกมากขึ้น เปิดประตูสู่โอกาสใหม่ ๆ เรียนรู้วิธีการคิดและแก้ไขปัญหาในสภาพที่อาจไม่เอื้ออำนวยของชาวยิว

———

หนังสือมันเป็นโทนอวยเราเลยอ่านสะดุดนิดหน่อย
อวยตั้งแต่เปิดปก
แกเราเจ๋งมากเลย ดูสิ เรายิ่งใหญ่ เราฉลาดมาก ๆ ชื่นชมเราสิ ขนาดลำบากมากยังทำได้ขนาดนี้เลย เราเจ๋งสุด ๆ เราสร้างประโยชน์ม่กมายให้กับโลก เราช่างเป็นคนดีจริง ๆ ….
คือถึงจะเป็นเรื่องจริง แต่เราเลือกวิธีนำเสนอได้ อันนี้มันจี้สะกดจิตมาก
แบบเราอ่านแล้วเราจะเลือกตัดสินใจเอง ไม่ต้องจี้ชี้นำขนาดนี้
เราไม่ชอบเพราะมันทำให้เราเกิดอคติขึ้นมา
เลยพยายามจะไปสิ่งตรงกันข้ามอัตโนมัติ
และไม่ชอบที่เวลาอ่านหนังสือแล้วรู้สึกแบบนี้ รู้สึกแย่ไปอีกที่ดันคิดแบบนี้
เราอยากรับรู้แบบให้ทำให้เราเห็นเองว่ามันดียังไง ไม่ต้องเกริ่นแต่แรกว่ามันดีมาก ๆ สุดยอดไปเลยยยยย เรายังไม่รู้เลยว่ามันดียังไง อธิบายมาก๊อนนนน

สัมผัสได้แหละว่าคนเขียนช่างภูมิใจในชาวยิวมาก ๆ
ไม่อวยกันเองจะให้ใครอวยละ
แต่มันเยอะไปจริง ๆ

ตัดตรงนี้ไปก็ถือว่าเป็นหนังสือที่ให้ความรู้
เพิ่งรู้ว่านวัตกรรมหลาย ๆ อย่างมีต้นกำเนิดจากอิสราเอล
เราเรียนรู้เรื่องความพยายามแก้ปัญหาต่าง ๆ ในสภาวะที่มีข้อจำกัดหลาย ๆ อย่าง
มุมมองที่ทำให้เกิดการพัฒนา

ลักษณะบรรยายบางจุดก็เป็นความเรียง ที่มาที่ไปของเหตุการณ์
บางจุดจะมาแนวนิยายหน่อย
เหมือนเป็นฉากเหตุการณ์ บทสนทนาตัวละคร
บิ๊วท์อารมณ์สุด ๆ
เน้นเรื่องคนมากกว่าจะเน้นเรื่องนวัตกรรม
และมีเรื่องศาสนาเยอะมาก

อ่านไปก็ยังรู้สึกเหมือนเดิมตลอด เนื้อว่าดียังไงมีซัก 40% ได้ อีก 60% พูดถึงความดีงามอวยล้วน ๆ
แถม 40% ที่ว่าก็ไม่ได้ลงลึกถึงรายละเอียดซักเท่าไร
เราผิดเองที่คาดหวังรายละเอียด
จริง ๆ ใส่รายละเอียดมาอยู่นะ แต่ไม่ใช่ตรงที่เราคาดหวังจะได้รู้
มันมีจุดน่าหงุดหงิดมาเป็นพัก ๆ หนะ

แถมมีเขียนเรื่องตัวเองอีก ติดอวยด้วย
เราแบบอีตานี่มันใครฟระ
หน้าขอบคุณนี่ปาเข้าไปเป็นบท มันเยอะไป
ทั้ง ๆ ที่ควรจะไปขยายความเรื่องนวัตกรรมที่ต้องการจะพูดถึง
เหมือนเขียนมาโฆษณาตัวเอง และบอกว่าชั้นรู้จักกับคนนี้ ๆ นะเลย

——-

ตรงที่ไม่อวยอ่านแล้วก็ดี
สิ่งที่ดีที่สุดและเราต้องการรู้นั้นอยู่ในภาคผนวกที่ไล่มาว่านวัตกรรมสุดล้ำนั้นมีอะไรบ้าง … ทำไมมันถึงได้มาอยู่ในภาคผนวก มันควรจะอยู่ในเนื้อหาเยอะ ๆ สิ ทำไมไม่ขยายความตรงนี้

[Prashanth Bhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

ಯಾಕೋ ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಒಂದು ಸಾಧಾರಣ ಓದಿನ ಅನುಭವ ಮಾತ್ರ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿತು. ಮಾಹಿತಿಗಳು ಆಸಕ್ತಿದಾಯಕವಾಗಿದ್ದರೂ ಏನೋ ನೀರಸ ಓದು. ಬಹುಶಃ ಓದುವಾಗಿನ ಮನಸ್ಥಿತಿಯೂ ಕಾರಣ ಇರಬಹುದು.
ಇಸ್ರೇಲ್ ಸಾಧಿಸಿದ ಯಶಸ್ಸಿನ ಹಿಂದಿನ ಕಥೆ ಸ್ಪೂರ್ತಿ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿತು.
ಬರವಣಿಗೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ವಿಶ್ವೇಶ್ವರ ಭಟ್ ಅವರ ಅನುವಾದದ ಹಾಗೆ ಅನಿಸದ್ದು ಆಶ್ಚರ್ಯ!

[Sanford Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing stories of inspiration and innovation

Avi Jorisch’s book, Thou Shalt Innovate is a masterpiece of writing, chronicling the amazing scientific endeavors of Israeli citizens making the world a better place. Each of the 18 chapters is dedicated to a different innovation and the background text describing that person’s rise to success is beautifully written. The text is fast paced and the narrative easy to read and incredibly compelling. Once you start reading this book, it’s unlikely you will put it down until you’re finished. I highly recommend it. Avi is clearly a Mench!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting book about how making the world a better place has underpinned the ethos of Israel's technology advancements and led to groundbreaking innovations addressing some of the world's biggest challenges in agriculture, medicine, water and other areas. The backstories about the innovations featured were really fascinating. An inspiring easy-to-read book!

[Dr. Harold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review:
Thou Shall Innovate: How Israeli Ingenuity Repairs the World
Gefen Publishing, 2018

The fifth book by Avi Jorisch carves out a distinct place in the oeuvre of non-fiction exposing and explaining the prowess, global impact, and bouquet of life enhancing and life saving innovations flowing from of Israel. Jorisch adds a twist revealed in the title.

Thou Shall Innovate: How Israeli Ingenuity Repairs the World, does not add much to what we already know from other sources about Israel’s prodigious STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) innovations. But Jorisch finds spiritual meaning, or “higher purpose,” as a secular man prefers, in them. Jorisch surmises there is an eternal message beyond the fun and intriguing stories behind the innovations he unmasks.

Jorisch sounds a bit sappy at times, but his credentials are impressive. Jorisch is a businessman, writer, and Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council. He believes it is no accident nor happenstance that Israel’s innovations are curing the sick, feeding the hungry, protecting the weak, and, in the “Jewish prophetic tradition—whether consciously or unconsciously—has created a remarkable culture of innovation that is being marshaled in large part to solve the world’s most formidable problems…Our purpose as human beings, Judaism argues, is to gather as many sparks as possible, to restore God’s broken vessels and make the world a better place.” Especially read the chapter, “The Lame Shall Walk.”


Jorisch deftly weaves the stories into a silk web of religious and political justifications for the State. He uses Israel’s ingenuity in STEM to gin up the generally woeful hasbarah (a struggling effort to justify and explain Israel’s existence through public diplomacy and public relations). Israel is having a world-changing impact because of its innovations “on agriculture, medicine, water, and defense…making life better for billions of people around the world.” I agree wholeheartedly with Jorisch.

For example, from my experience, in 70 short years, Israel morphed from a dust bowl to an exporting agricultural powerhouse designing, engineering and applying biotech and high technology that grow abundant foodstuffs in desert sands. Israelis perfected “The Perfect Drip” to feed exponentially growing populations and remediate environmental barriers forefending water and food shortages. But after the technology comes to market, it is up to thousands of Israeli NGOs like Sivan Ya’ari’s Innovation: Africa to share solar, agricultural and water technologies with rural African villages and others around the world.

Ripped from the headlines, I share a story about Iranian farmers protesting a lack of water threatening their livelihoods and national food supplies in July 2018. There is a devastating drought in the Middle East. Their crops used to feed the nation’s 100M people. I was thinking about Jorisch’s vision while reading about the drought. It defines the perfect scenario for a partnership between adversarial nations tethered by strong religious faith that will exemplify the value of the technologies’ higher purposes. By the way, Jorisch is an internationally recognized and go-to expert about Iran.

The outro of Thou Shall Innovate is not about STEM and brilliant scientists. The final chapter’s title is, Be a Mensch. “Making the world a better place.” The subject is technical in a lot of books, but Jorisch makes the stories and wondrous achievements feel personal like the reader is watching it unfold on camera in real time.

There are 33 pages of footnotes, 23 pages of Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index. The architecture of the book goes far beyond that of other books on the subject in my experience. It gives confidence Jorisch undertook assiduous research and his reporting is trustworthy. The message I got from Jorisch: scientific innovations are less meaningful without purposefulness, and that message makes this a must read for start-up innovators, researchers, students, and entrepreneurs. They must never lose sight of why they are meant for success.

Reviewed by Dr. Harold Goldmeier
Dr. Goldmeier is a public speaker and writer. He teaches international university students in Tel Aviv. Goldmeier worked in government, is an entrepreneur and consultant on business, social and public policy matters.

[Olena · Rating 5 out of 5]

В цій книзі дізнаємося про маленьку країну Ізраїль, розміром із Рівненську область, яка уже давно теж потерпає від війни.
Але навіть в умовах чи не постійних повітряних тривог євреям вдається винаходити найрізноманітніші інновації. Ці винаходи - це вирішення усіляких нагальних проблем людства, зокрема у сферах медицини, сільського господарства, технологій.

З найбільш цікавих мені відкриттів, що мали місце саме в Ізраїлі назву такі
- хімічна будова марихуани (1963). Можливо відтоді й почалися дискусії щодо легалізації та використання у медицині.
- помідори-черрі (1980). Генетики вивели таку версію томату.
- флешка
- онлайн-чат у вигляді ICQ
- біорозкладне пакування (2010)
- протиракетна система «Залізний купол» (2011). Вона власне захищає Ізраїль від атак і дозволяє провадити там життя.
У кінці книги є перелік із 50 таких «п��дарунків світові від Ізраїлю», але детально в самій книзі описані лише 18.
Комусь можуть стати цікавими й інші.

Автор у своїй праці голосно заявляє що метою єврейського народу, Ізраїлю є допомагати людям і рятувати життя, світ.

Пізнавальна книга, яка на своїх сторінках не раз примусила мене дивуватися.

[Gary McCallister · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great set of stories about people who have made a difference in this modern world. Not in any way like politics or entertainers, but unheard of people who really make a difference. Of course they are all Jewish to one extent or another and feel the obligation to be a blessing unto the world. Perhaps more of us ought to feel so compelled. Just a note, I’m not Jewish.

[Aaditya Aanand · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book tells us about 20 great inventions that Israel (also known as a start-up nation) has gifted to this world, from the great Iron Dome defense system to the Drip Irrigation technique, Israel has given us a lot.

It is a very interesting read as it also briefly touches upon the history of Israel, emphasizing the fact that Israel prospered against all the odds. One can read this book if they are interested in start-ups. You can also read this book as a very brief history of Israel. You'll be surprised to know how much Israel has contributed to this world!

[Mich · Rating 4 out of 5]

The innovations that this tiny country has produced in its short history is nothing more than amazing. From Mobileeye for cars to cancer and ms drugs to drip irrigation and desalinization the author takes us through the list. Well written and fascinating.

[Srikanth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting book that not only talks about a few of the innovations that have originated in Israel, but tries to demonstrate the philosophy behind the country's quest for innovation.

[Sevdimali Isayev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly liked how people uniquely approached the real world problems and found solutions for them.

[Alan Menachemson · Rating 5 out of 5]

pretty readable and inspiring
especially pertinent to the field I'm in, hence my personal 5*

[Taras Vasylyshyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Свого часу мене вразила "Країна стартапів". Ця книга про простіших людей які всупереч всьому творять інновації. Багато мотивуючих історій та підходів до вирішення проблем, але мабуть бракує фундаментальності.
Нижче цитати:
Ізраїль, як мені почало здаватися, — це країна з душею синагоги, країна, де традиція юдейських пророків створила, свідомо чи несвідомо, надзвичайну культуру інновацій, яку активно залучають до вирішення найсерйозніших проблем світу.

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Мета людства, як твердить юдаїзм, — зібрати якомога більше цих іскор, щоб відновити розбиті посудини Бога та поладнати світ.

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в Ізраїлі з’явилося на світ більше стартапів, ніж у Канаді, Індії, Японії, Кореї та Великій Британії разом.

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За винятком Північної Америки, на Ізраїль припадає найбільше компаній, які зареєстровано на фондовій біржі NASDAQ.

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Успіхи Ізраїлю в інноваційних сферах беруть початок із низки

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Успіхи Ізраїлю в інноваційних сферах беруть початок із низки чинників, зокрема з позитивного впливу релігійної культури, яка заохочує піддавати авторитети сумніву, суперечки й виклик очевидностям.

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Мабуть, центральне в усіх ученнях юдаїзму — це підносити земне та перетворювати його на щось святе.

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Мехудар брав участь у розробці сучасного крапельного зрошення: системи, яка подає воду рослинам по краплині — економніше й ефективніше за попередні методи.

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Із труб із невеликими отворами та вузеньких пластикових рурок він хотів зробити пристрій, який доставляв би воду безпосередньо під рослину.

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Бласс був не першим, хто випробував крапельне зрошування. Китайці експериментували з крапельними методами ще в першому столітті до нашої ери. У 1860 році німецькі дослідники випробували підземну зрошувальну систему керамічних труб. Перший задокументований випадок використання пластику був в Австралії в 1920-ті. Але Бласс застосував іншу систему з крапельницею, в якій швидкість проходження води сповільнювали довгі спіральні капілярні трубки. Через кілька років він удосконалив свою розробку, створивши крапельницю з двох частин13.

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Задуманий для полегшення роботи селян в умовах пустельного клімату, простий пристрій Бласса становили капілярна трубка, обмотана навколо 16-міліметрової труби. Завдяки тертю води на вході крапельниця працювала зі швидкістю від трьох до п’яти крапель за годину.

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Менше ніж 1% усієї прісної води у світі придатно до пиття. Більшість цього дорогоцінного ресурсу використовують у сільському господарстві для зрошення й половину його марнують через неефективне використання41.

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У нас сімдесятилітні експерти з ракетної техніки працювали поряд… з інженерами, які щойно отримали диплом… і не було жодної ієрархії.

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Інші близькосхідні держави відкрили в себе багаті запаси нафти. В Ізраїлю її не було. Не було навіть кам’яного вугілля, що й казати про стабільні запаси води.

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Давні римляни першими почали використовувати сонячну енергію. І робили вони це (близько двох із половиною тисячоліть тому) із простою, але важливою метою: нагрівати воду в купальнях. Ці купальні мали великі вікна з прозорого скла, у які світило полуденне сонце — і температура всередині зростала. Будинки зі скляними вікнами стали такими популярними, що в Римі навіть ухвалили закони, які забороняли затуляти сонце сусідам14.

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Сонячні технології майже не змінювалися приблизно аж до середини XIX століття, коли люди, передусім у Сполучених Штатах, почали використовувати для нагрівання води металеві баки. До вечора вода в цих баках прогрівалася так, що можна було прийняти теплий душ15.

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У 2012 році дослідницький центр Кнесету встановив, що «дуд шемеш» заощаджує для Ізраїлю 8% спожитої енергії31.

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народжений у Лондоні єврей-учений зрозумів, як зупинити сонце на благо єврейської держави — і решти світу.

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Якщо компанія стає успішною, грант вважають кредитом. Якщо ж розорюється, то збитки бере на себе держава. В обох випадках держава не бере жодної акції стартапів.

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Кожного кандидата під час проходження співбесіди на працевлаштування в Ізраїлі запитують: «Де ви відбували військову службу?». Служба в певних підрозділах, як-от 8200 — ізраїльському еквіваленті Агентства з національної безпеки США (АНБ), підвищує шанси претендента на посаду. Це так важливо, що в інтернеті й оголошеннях про набір на роботу в Ізраїлі є багато пропозицій, де зазначено, що ця робота конкретно для колишніх військовослужбовців певних підрозділів ЦАГАЛу.

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У 2014-му хакери викрали персональні дані близько 47% дорослого населення США40. А 2013-го кіберзлочинцям вдалося успішно зламати захист мереж 43% американських компаній41.

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Мама сама робила всі наші іграшки з того, що було під рукою. Це був урок на все життя: умій задовольнятися тим, що є»4.

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Держава забезпечувала учасникам гранти, і його грант покривав 80% видатків — від субпідрядників до юристів12.

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Чому ж Ізраїль має таку проблему? Причина в тому, що понад мільярд птахів перетинають його повітряний простір для перельотів між трьома континентами5. Восени, коли стає холодніше та менше корму, птахи вирушають у подорож протяжністю вісім-дев’ять тисяч кілометрів із Європи та Західної Азії до Африки (а навесні все відбувається у зворотному напрямку). Термічні потоки над прибережними рівнинами Ізраїлю та його часткою Великої рифтової долини — географічної западини завдовжки майже 5800 кілометрів, що тягнеться від Туреччини до Мозамбіку, — ідеальні для птахів, які шукають найкоротший і найлегший маршрут.

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«Ізраїль прославився своєю агрономією та науковими дослідженнями, особливо в напрямі вирощування рослин із використанням невеликої кількості води в пустельних умовах». І продовжує: «Юдейська фінікова пальма стала чудовим прикладом такої винахідливості та наполегливості»35.

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— Які п’ять правил діють у нас удома? Він на хвильку замисливсь і схвильовано проторохтів: — Бути людиною, робити с��іт кращим, старатися, ніколи-ніколи не здаватись і радіти життю.

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Він також визнав шахи найкращим способом готувати полководців до війни та назвав гру дарунком для світу.

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І коли культура поєднає потужну освіту, наполегливу працю, благодійність і безкорисливу допомогу — людство не знатиме перешкод для безмежної могутності.

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В Ізраїлю немає монополії на гарні ідеї або правильні методики. Усі країни можуть із користю для себе використовувати власну культуру, щоб застосовувати її уроки у сферах і професіях, у яких вони століттями були найкращими. Водночас досягнення єврейської держави на благо людства світовій спільноті варто шанувати й наслідувати.

[anu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book on a recent flight to Israel. An easy read, it is basically a survey of Israeli inventions, innovation, companies and their contributions to the world. Compared to other books about Israel I’ve read, mostly focused on history, this provides a very different perspective of the country, its remarkable civilian, entrepreneurial, economic, scientific accomplishments and its ability to not just exist but be resilient in a very difficult historical and political context.

I would have liked to have been able to pinpoint what lessons other countries can draw on for their own development. I don’t think this was the point of the book though so the author doesn’t get to it, but definitely plants the seed, at least for me. I finished the book with this open question, and an impression that, for a small and relatively young country, Israel punches way above its weight.

[Yaniv · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone interested in entrepreneurship and innovation. A fascinating book that offers insight into how innovation really happens in Israel, through a deeper inspection of a few transformative innovative products and technologies. The stories surface innovators with a strong mix of curiosity, grit, and the desire to prove wrong the “wisdom of the crowds”. The book offers a comprehensive background on how the Israeli environment shaped key entrepreneurs and touches on religious and cultural aspects which influence decisions made by these entrepreneurs.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Building on Start Up Nation and other books that highlight the amazing technical revolution coming out of Israel, Jorisch uses several individual cases to build his argument that the injunction to heal the world that Jews are exposed to from childhood up is a contributing factor to the success of many technical start-ups.

[Judie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Israel became an independent nation in 1949, it faced many obstacles: lack of natural resources, small population but growing rapidly with hundreds of thousands of impoverished Holocaust survivors and expelled Jews from Arab countries, surrounded by enemies.
Driven by culture that fosters independent thinking, respects knowledge, and a need to repair the world, it is now one of the major providers of products and techniques to help people throughout the world, especially in the areas of agriculture, medicine, water, and defense.
In THOU SHALT INNOVATE, Avi Jorisch tells the stories behind fifteen of the innovations, developed and manufactured by Jews and Arabs and people of different religions as well as people throughout the world facing the same problems. He lists fifty of Israel’s greatest innovations near the end of the book.
The first is Ambuicycle. Using motorcycles, trained responders located throughout the country are able to cut through traffic jams and reach victims in less time than a traditional ambulance. Several hundred volunteers of many religions and cultures work together to help people in their communities in both Israel and Palestinian territories. In 2014, the teams in Israel treated 245,000 Israelis (Arab and Jewish), including 27,000 children. One fourth of the calls are life threatening.
Next is drip irrigation which produces more food with less water. The techniques has been taught to water-needy people throughout the world.
When Ronald Reagan proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars) in the 1980s, it was dropped because of the complex technology necessary. Israel continued working on it with the resulting Iron Dome system to destroy incoming missiles. They cost about a tenth of a standard missile and use parts from Toys R Us which cost 80 cents. The Iron Dome also avoids deploying ground forces to combat incoming missiles which saves lives for all sides.
About 1.3 billion tons of food are lost annually because of insect infestation. The Grain Cocoon can safely store harvested grain for several years to provide food during climate disasters stabilize the market so farmers can sell grain during the off-season.
Romans used basic solar energy 2,500 years ago to heat their baths. Today, 90% of all Israeli households use solar panels (heating water) and many buildings powered entirely by solar power.
The Exoskeleton, which forms a stabilizer outside of a body, allows paraplegics to walk.
Using electrodes, Deep Brain Stimulation helps people control diseases like Parkinson’s, neurological disease, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, Alzheimer’s, Tourette Syndrom, chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, epilepsy, and schizophrenia. The process was developed by Israeli-Arabs.
In 2014, there were more than 1.5 internet hacking attacks annually, that was three a minute. More than 47% of the American adult population were victims. In 2013, 43% of American businesses were hacked, The cost of cyber-related crime was more than $400 billion. An Israeli company’s technology has successfully reduced those numbers.

A traditional colonoscopy is limited in how much of the colon can be observed. The procedure can be uncomfortable and may damage the colon. A technique developed in Israel allows a complete examination of the entire colon without any discomfort via a small camera swallowed by the patient while patients can continue their regular lives..
Robotic spine surgery enables doctors to do spinal surgery without having to do additional surgery to locate and repair the problem.
One of the most widely-used innovations is an emergency band-aid which applies more pressure to staunch bleeding, even on traumatic head wounds. Less expensive and more effective than traditional emergency bandages, they are used by military forces including the US Army. They are manufactured at a Bedouin factory which employs 50 Bedouin women.
Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis has improved through the use of foreskins, traditionally buried or thrown out. It is so effective that Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, head of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic movement approved its use.
Evidence of cannabis to reduce pain was found in 4th century CE in a family tomb outside Jerusalem. Israel perfected it and It is now used for many conditions, including pain reduction.
With more than a billion birds using Israeli airspace on their 5,000-6,000 mile migration, they have caused more damage to Israeli airplanes than all Arab enemy armies combined. Using motorized gliders to travel with and track their semiannual migrations and then banning planes to fly in their paths, the number of strikes has been reduced 76%. Jordan and the Palestinians have cooperated with and benefitted from this action.
An Israeli agriculturist was able to grow an extinct date plant from a found seed.
Among the fifty innovations listed are Krav Maga self-defense, cherry tomatoes, a natural mosquito repellant, flash drive, instant chat, and Waze.
THOU SHALT INNOVATE is an informative book which mixes history, sociology, science, education, politics, and Jewish concepts in a compact, easy-to-read book.
I received an advance copy of this book from LibraryThing.

[Atul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jews intelligent resourceful people

I have always admired Israelis for their capacity to do anything for the country at any cost. They have done so in all fields

[Ronit Pearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Avi Jorisch’s book offers a unique contribution to the growing literature on Israeli’s technical prowess and its global impact. Jorisch begins with two chapters that deal with Judaism’s commitment to tikkun olam, the idea of helping to repair the world and also on how from the very beginning the young state of Israel embraced the need to provide technological assistance to many of the newly independent African nations that emerged with the end of European imperialism. While in part this resulted from the self-serving need to build diplomatic relations with these countries to avoid international isolation, there was also a powerful sense that the new Jewish state should be a light upon the world. Between these chapters and a concluding section dealing with his own interest in the subject, are fifteen chapters dealing with how Israelis are changing the world for the better through remarkable technical innovations.
While some of his stories may be familiar to readers, such as Israel’s notable contribution in drip irrigation, others such as the Grain Cocoon invented by Shlomo Navarro, which helps farmers in the developing world stave off the serious loss of grain caused by insects, are less well known. Some of the companies he writes about (and part of the story he tells reveal the unique government/private partnerships in Israel that provides seed money from the government, leading to the formation of private companies) are on the cusp of making it big. Among these are ReWalk, a firm that makes an exoskeleton allowing for paraplegics to enjoy enhanced mobility, which sadly will not benefit its remarkable creator, Amit Goffer, because the ReWalk requires full control of one’s upper body, which Goffer’s own injury left impaired. Part of the appeal of the book is that it provides examples of cooperation between Israel’s often contentious Jewish, Arab and Christian citizens. Alpha Omega, the largest Arab led high-tech company in Israel, an innovator in devices for deep brain stimulation, makes devices that are used around the world in the treatment of epilepsy and other neurological diseases. Eli Beer’s clever transformation of motorcycles into mini-ambulances has led to volunteers from every segment of Israel’s population, including the Druze and Bedouin and ultra-Orthodox, racing to come to those in medical need. Avi Jorisch’s book is a fascinating look at how Israeli technology is changing the world for the better, while also showing that technology can build bridges between communities, perhaps offering a glimmer of hope for a more peaceful future in the Mideast.

[Lữ Đoàn Đỏ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gần 2 tháng không gõ 1 dòng review nào cả. Cuốn này hình như còn đọc xong trước cả cuốn Nỗi buồn chiến tranh nhưng ấn tượng bình thường nên bỏ qua mất không viết lại mấy dòng. Sách giống 1 bài nghiên cứu tổng hợp về những đóng góp khoa học hoặc những ứng dụng, tiện ích mà con người Israel tạo ra để giúp ích cho con người.

Niềm tin gắn chặt với những con người Do Thái này là sẽ gắng sức đến cùng để làm bằng được điều mình muốn. Thêm nữa là văn hóa của họ không coi trọng giá trị vật chất như tri thức. Họ cũng coi việc giúp đỡ người khác là 1 trách nhiệm, 1 đức tin, thậm chí giúp đỡ người mà người không biết mới là cách làm thiện cao quý nhất.

Suốt cuốn sách tác giả đã tổng hợp những phát minh hoặc những tiện ích mà người Israel tạo ra. Từ cải tạo nông nghiệp, cho tới dịch vụ Uber cứu thương hay mái vòm phòng chống tên lửa. Có những phát minh để giúp đỡ những người khuyết tật, có những phát minh trong ngành y giúp hàng triệu người có những ca phẫu thuật dễ dàng và hồi phục tốt hơn. Nhiều khi chỉ là 1 vài cải tiến nho nhỏ từ những thứ đã có sẵn. Đọc cuốn sách đọng lại lớn nhất là cách mà những người Do Thái được giáo dục. Có lẽ chẳng có phát minh nào tốt đẹp ra đời nếu thiếu đi tâm hồn lương thiện phía sau. Họ được giáo dục trở thành người lương thiện, có tự trọng, ham hiểu biết, không ngại gian khổ. Với những đức tính ấy thì thành công nhất định xuất hiện chẳng sớm thì muộn thôi. Cả 1 quốc gia với đức tính như vậy, thì quốc gia đó phải tốt đẹp thế nào?? Chắc vì vậy mà họ biến sa mạc khô cằn, giữa vòng vây của vô số kẻ thù thành 1 quốc gia hùng mạnh vậy.

Có thời gian sẽ tìm đọc thêm về Israel. Cuốn này tạm được, trình bày logic và đơn giản, thế là đủ với 1 cuốn khảo cứu nho nhỏ.

[Tippy Chee · Rating 4 out of 5]

ต้องยอมรับก่อน ว่าอิสราเอล เป็นชนชาติที่พระเจ้าเลือก
เลือกที่จะให้พวกเขาได้รู้จักพระองค์ เลือกที่จะให้พวกเขาได้รับสติปัญญาจากพระเจ้า เลือกให้พวกเขาเป็นประชากรตัวแทนที่จะนำวิถีการดำเนินชีวิตตามแบบพระเจ้า ออกไปให้ชนชาติอื่นทั่วโลกได้เห็นและทำตาม

หลายๆ เรื่องในหนังสือเล่มนี้ บางเรื่องก็ดูเหมือนไม่ได้ยิ่งใหญ่อะไรมากมาย แต่เรามองเห็นถึงหัวใจของคนเหล่านั้น ที่ตั้งใจทุ่มเททำบางอย่าง เพื่อให้เกิดประโยชน์ต่อคนอื่น โดยแรกเริ่มอาจเป็นประโยชน์ต่อคนไม่กี่คน แต่ภายหลังสิ่งเหล่านั้นก็ได้รับการเผยแพร่ต่อยอด จนนำการพัฒนามาสู่หลายพื้นที่ทั่วโลก

สิ่งที่ประทับใจที่สุด ของหนังสือเล่มนี้ คือเรื่องราวของผู้คนที่เป็นเหมือนคำพยาน ที่แสดงให้เราได้เห็นชนชาติของพระเจ้า ตั้งใจดำเนินตามคำสอนของพระองค์ที่ว่า ให้พวกเขาเป็นแสงสว่างที่จะสาดส่องออ��มาขับไล่ความมืด และเป็นตัวแทนที่นำการอวยพรจากพระเจ้าออกไปสู่คนทั่วโลก
และเราเองในฐานะคนต่างชาติก็ได้รับพระพรเหล่านั้นเช่นกัน

[Vasudev · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is translated into kannada from the book "Thou Shalt Innovate" by Avi Jorisch. Its really surprising , that so many pathbreaking industries and startups have emerged from Israel but the global news still focusses on the politics around the region rather than lives that has been positively impacted by these revolutionaries. This book captures 20 such amazing stories of sheer hardwork , dedication and undying belief in their vision , which has made the impossible possible. The book not just focusses on the engineering or implementation details but also on the nature of Israeli society which encourages entrepreneurship and humanitarian causes. I had lot of admiration for Israel , but after reading the book it has grown manyfold.

[Thanh Nhã · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thou Shalt Innovate: How Israeli Ingenuity Repairs the World is an amazing read. This book really woke me up to the magic of how Israeli ingenuity has repaired so much of the world and could do even more if given the chance. It's a mixture of stories and statistics about the Israeli ingenuity repairs. I've always loved this story about a small, yet innovative nation. The only downside is that I wish there were more detail in the book, but, to be honest, it's hard to know what they missed with all the miracles they created. However, what I liked most in this text was how it shows that any country can become as innovative as Israel if they want to be. It's an insightful and educational book that everyone should read!

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle, by Dan Senor and Saul Singer, the author, takes the reader on a journey of Israel's many modern contributions to the world in healing the sick, feeding the hungry, protecting the defenseless and restoring first the land of Israel to blossom again and taking that technology to the rest of the world. The book belies the slander told by the evil forces of the BDS movement, which only want darkness to fall on those they claim to be helping. This book should be required reading before anyone of the useful idiots being used by BDS actually votes on their sanctions. Israel has been and continues to be a "light unto the nations"

[Podaire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book on the world of innovation and invention in Israel. Jorisch gives some great stories about inventions, designs and the way science has been pushed forward to fund and create important items, materials and life giving inventions to the whole world. While I think they do have some history of encouraging innovation, I think that Israel is a smaller microcosm and can thus the argument can be made more readily. As the book goes on however, I think, the author shows that it is sometimes mere perseverance that allows for success to happen, not necessarily money or the encouragement of innovation that makes the difference.

[Brian Fiedler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some aspects of this book deserve 3 stars. The author is not an engineer. Some basic concepts of physics are fumbled, for example in the 3rd paragraph on page 65. Also, reading this book continually left me with the impression that the subject matter would have been MUCH more effectively presented in a video documentary series. I won't complain too much: there is an extensive appendix with a summarizing time line, notes, and bibliography.

But the human subject matter , the innovators, is 5 star material. In the final chapter, after a little apology, the author talks about himself. He summarizes the ethos behind all this innovation: "be a mensch".

Long live Israel...

[David Poon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great collection of stories of innovation and inventions from the small nation of Israel. From solar power panel to robotic prosthetics that allow the lame to walk again, the author explores the people behind the innovations and the motivation that drove them to overcome a problem and ended up inventing something that benefitted all mankind.

“Be a mensch, make the world a better place, try your hardest, never ever give up, and have a good time.” The author’s words to his child reminds us that innovation exists to serve people. It is this drive to make the world better that fuels the persistency and hard work needed to turn ideas into products.

[Ivo Spigel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly readable book about Israeli innovations and innovators in a very wide range of fields and subjects, from a pill that takes photos of your intestines to exosceletons that help people walk again to computer security (firewalls) to robots that help with spinal surgery.
Apart from the innovations themselves, the author takes a wider perspective of the impact on society, often reflecting on the complex relationship between Jews and other nations living in Israel and how some of these innovations help bring people together in a land troubled by conflict and violence.

[Artie Rubin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the other books on Israel I've reviewed, this too is about the "other" Israel--the one that so often gets drowned out by the political situation and the right-wingers there who currently control it. This book talks not only about Israeli achievements but of the Israeli "mindset" in fostering such achievements.

Two examples of that mindset: (1) It's okay to fail, even time after time. It's accepted not as gloom-and-doom but merely with a shrug. It's simply the price of admission to your ultimate success.

(2) Everyone, whatever their position, is allowed to talk back. A "lower level" employee has no problem telling a chief executive (to his face) that the executive is ridiculous for proposing such a stupid idea. And as long as the lower level worker can give a good reason for saying so, he's in no danger of termination. In fact, he might even get promoted. (The Israeli military uses the same style: grunts readily tell an officer what's so obviously wrong with his/her plan.)

Maybe that's why Israelis have been able to say, "The difficult we can do right now. The impossible will take a little longer."

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating book! The Israelis have contributed so much to not only Israel but worldwide, changing the lives of billions of people. This book gives well deserved recognition to Israel's outstanding contributions to technology, science, agriculture and medicine. So insightful and easy to read. I highly recommend it.